Didn’t they increase the prices a lot these past 3 years? This is becoming crazy

scott

They charge what the market can bear. During the dark days of the M8, Leica even offer a rebate of $300 per lens and as far as I remember, no price increase from 2006 – 2009. Used prices were a pittance compared to now. Things only started to change in 2009 with the M9. The M240 is not ground breaking like the M9 was, but at least it was a stable step forward. Leica didn’t screw up this time.

Think of it from a lens owner’s perspective: the $3,500 Summilux 50mm I bought new 6 years ago is selling used for that much right now. So, I can enjoy the lens for 6 years, and lose only inflation on it if I sell now. Actual cost of ownership may be less than $300.

I’m actually hoping one day to test out the properly the Leica S. Would kill me if their prime lenses were increased in price by that time.

EJPB

Leica is no longer a camera manufacturer, but has become a fashion brand. Selling fashion and style has to be done in an expensive mode. Overpriced products, fashion branding and exclusive shops with often no camera’s but expensive flyers. Unfortunately, they are not Apple and the weakest point is the true core technological competence. Jenoptik- once a cheap electronics company – is not even having the knowledge of a small camera company like Casio. I’m curious to see how long Leica can maintain this strange kind of business strategy at this ridiculous price level.

Drazen B

“I’m curious to see how long Leica can maintain this strange kind of business strategy at this ridiculous price level…”

At these extreme financially testing times for the World economies…

They seem to be smoking different sort of weed. Let’s wait and see.

http://leicarumors.com/ Leica Rumors

Other luxury brands are doing the same thing (as far as I know Rolex also raises their prices every year). This is good for current owners who can get more money for the lenses they own. If I sell my Leica lenses today, I will get more then what I paid for them new few years ago. Of course it sucks if you have to buy a new lens today.

Capitano Dick

There was a major crisis in 2008.
That was five years ago, since then the global economy is growing, the Dow Jones and other indices are sky-rocketing.
So, please, which “extremely financially testing times” do you mean?

fjfjjj

You should go for a fancier beverage than Kool-Aid.

Drazen B

There was…?!
So which remote planet do you live on, please let me know as I’d like to visit.

Capitano Dick

With all due respect…what are you taking about?

-A fashion brand? Nonsense.
I have no words for this assumption, these are old-fashioned classic cameras, entire galaxies away from any fashion.

-Overpriced products? Rubbish.
I recently measured my Noctilux with an analyzer which showed 13% lanthan glass, the most expensive in the world.
CaNikon with their cheap plastic gear are dreaming of such a performance.

-Shops with no cameras (and not “camera’s” as you write): Bullshit. Which shop do you specifically mean?

.Jenoptik a cheap manufacturer? Unbelievable lack of information, they developed highly sophisticated gear for Russian space excursions, to cite just one example.

And so on…your incompetence is crying out loud.

Never have there been so many rich people in the world, or do you live on the backside of the moon?

EJPB

I don’t say anything about the lenses, still the prices of all Leica stuff got at a crazy level over the last ten years. Leica is a magnificent optical & fine mechanics company, but in the digital era they never could make for100% the right, balanced choices. The world has changed and they never had the electronics on board you can expect at this price level – which should be nothing less of cutting edge, without technical flaws (it isn’t). Jenoptik: what’s next, lenses by Zenit also matching the description go gave? I do not underestimate these companies for other competences, but they have no credible references in this segment. I still don’t understand why Leica didn’t partner up more with high value electronics companies like Panasonic to bring the M-range at a more credible level, it would have provided a true magic mix, believe me. Or maybe Sony, Zeiss took already a lot of very serious business away that could have been belonging to Leica. Already in 1972, Leica had to collaborate with Minolta, because they were missing the experience to develop the R-line bodies and even in 2013 the feeling is they can still use a bit of help. Shops: in Europe, I visited one shop – the only camera’s in were an old R4 and an M9, and the Pana’s. No M, no M/E, no Monochrom. When I buy a car I want at least to see one, not chose it from a glossy flyer while looking at some oldtimers in the showroom. It feels to me more that Leica is doing everything to lose the passionated photographer like me, push us direction Fujifilm, Sony and Olympus in favor of the ‘fashion people’ that just want to take one very attended picture at a very expensive ball-room party. Btw, it is extremely rude to offend non-native english speakers for language errors and saying they’re incompetent, if there’s one crying too loud it must be you. Everyone has the right to express his opinion.